I can't think a single program that effects the Navy in a more universal way than the Blue Angels. Someone at "Corporate" needs to review the big picture in this particular case. If this moves forward it will have consequences across the board. O-7's, Don't bend over because it's a good career decision. This issue is more important than any one individual. The actual dollars spent can't be run though a calculator to determine exact "good will and recruiting" numbers. Your thoughts? http://www.military.com/news/articl...-into-era-of-budget-questions.html?ESRC=eb.nl
Only one lefty, "Laura Peterson, a spokeswoman for the Washington-based group Taxpayers for Common Sense" is quoted as wanting to shut the team down. Not gonna happen.
$37M is decimal dust in the Pentagon budget. They're worth at least that in terms of advertising, if we had to make up the positive press they gather with paid TV. Hundreds of thousands see them every year.
Maybe we can get the USAF to chip in since everyone thinks they are USAF anyways... Plus, the USAF never seems to be hurting for funds. Maybe we can play nice and they will share? Edit: (Even for the target audience, who know that the Blues are Navy. I am willing to bet a fair amount of USAF pilots saw the Blues at some point in their childhood to kick off the dream). How about cutting the Thunderbirds?
Whenever anyone on either side of the aisle talks about "common sense" and "reasonable" laws, it's time to watch your wallet.
I could see part of the Blues' budget getting cut back, but I don't see them going away. (I wonder how much of their training could be accomplished in "high fidelity simulators?" /sarcasm)
You have no idea . . . . has anyone seen the new Integrated Visual Environment Maintenance Trainers (IVEMT's) hitting the fleet? Training maintenance guys how to turn wrenches in a virtual environment on 65" plasma screens. Virtual training in all areas within DoD is exploding.
They run a pretty bare-bones operations already, I think all but one of their birds are very used up A/B's and they work out of an old TRACOM hangar they share with VT-86, not sure how much more they could realistically cut bak without affecting them significantly.
Two words........Smart Perdiem. I am sure that the travel budget is a big part of the Blue's budget. They could go for government messing and probably save at least $50 per a person per a day while on the road. It all adds up.
I am going to hazard a guess that their fuel is probably a lot more than their per diem. Small problem with government mess too, a lot of places they go don't have it. Frankly I was a bit impressed at how low-budget their operation is the first time I saw it, drastically different than what I have heard about the T'birds.
I understand what you're getting at, but they also have a ton of riders in their performance contracts which may or may not add up. They may also be comped, too. I'm guessing their parts are a large part of their cost, along with fuel. When you're a FAD 1 and can buy anything you need, I'm sure you do.
Bigger than for a normal unit, definitely. Big relative to everything aircraft related, no. An F/A-18 flight hour buys a lot of hotel rooms. I don't know specifically what their work schedule is, but I'm sure it gets slid wildly while they prep for a given airshow. Making it to the chow hall during the right hours may not even be an option, even if they are on a military base, which would be the minority of their shows.
Some dumba**will suggest reducing the teams to 3 ships each, or worse, "combining " the demo teams, maybe 3 Hornets, and 3 Vipers with the lead switiching services every 2 years, along with contracting out cargo services and doing away with Fat Albert and the Birds' C-17. Senator XXXXX (D) from CA/MA/NY/IL, etc stated "it would be a fitting tribute to our joint effort in the GWOT to have our flight demonstration teams reduced and combined into one, smaller, more fiscally responsible unit." You heard it here frst
All that makes sense, but... I'm looking at it fatalistically- as if I were a mean old bean counter thinking that everyone will share the pain and everyone will have to figure it out... Stearmann's comments might be tongue-in-cheek and a little over the top, but something along those lines.
If I were defending the Blues' budget, I'd point Congress straight to Nellis for a guided tour of the T-Bird's facility and hand them a folder with the itemized per-flight hour cost of a C-17 vs a well used C-130. That would keep them busy for a while. You could even point out "The Blues don't even wear G suits, that saves anther 25K+!"
Realistically, the Blues have survived for 65 years, with just a short break for the Korean War when they formed the nucleus of the fearsome Satan's Kittens, and in much leaner times than we face right now so I think they will likely survive in their current form for some time.
The Air Shows provide their hotel rooms and rental cars, IIRC. Most hotels include breakfast, lunch is generally provided by the show as well. There are a lot of items that are in the demo teams' Support manuals that 'saves' the Government money already. Not sure if their Per Diem is adjusted accordingly. They are already running pretty efficiently. They are a great recruiting effort. Also, let's not kid ourselves here. Saving money by getting rid of the Blues or other demo teams is not 'saving money'.. that 'saved' money will all of the sudden become free money in which politicians will use to further their earmarks, etc.
Thank you. The day that I see a politician actually "Save" money in the literal sense and actually do something about making a serious dent in the National Debt will be special to me.
